By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Daniel Sams’ late-over fireworks and a steady unbeaten fifty from Fakhar Zaman enabled Lahore Qalandars to conquer Peshawar Zalmi by six wickets to keep their playoffs hopes alive in the HBL PSL 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing a formidable target of 200, Qalandars reached the mark with three balls to spare after losing four wickets in the process. This was the first loss for Zalmi while Qalandars folded their league stage with ten points and they will have to wait for the outcome of the match between Rawalpindiz and Hyderabad Kingsmen in Karachi on Sunday. The outcome also put Karachi Kings (10 points) out of the event due their inferior net run-rate of -0.869 as compared to Qalandars’ -0.482.
While Fakhar Zaman anchored the chase with a composed 58 off 47 balls, his fourth fifty of the season, it was the lower-order cameos that shifted the momentum. Sikandar Raza’s blistering 29 off just 11 deliveries set the stage before Daniel Sams finished the contest in style, smashing 35 runs off 15 balls, including five boundaries and a towering six.
Earlier Peshawar Zalmi posted a competitive 199-4 after being put in to bat. The innings was defined by a massive 94-run partnership between captain Babar Azam and Michael Bracewell.
Babar played a classic accumulator’s knock, scoring 59 off 45 balls, but it was Bracewell who provided the aggression. The New Zealander fell just short of a century, dismissed for 83 off 45 balls in the final over by Haris Rauf. Iftikhar Ahmed added a late flourish with an unbeaten 27 off 14 balls, but the total ultimately proved insufficient against Lahore’s deep batting lineup.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf led the bowling attack for Qalandars, picking up two wickets apiece, though they were forced to work hard on a surface that favored the batsmen under lights.
Summarised scores
Peshawar Zalmi: 199-4 (20 Overs) Michael Bracewell: 83 (45), Babar Azam 59 (45), Iftikhar Ahmed: 27* (14), Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-36, Haris Rauf 2-46
Lahore Qalandars: 200-4 (19.3 Overs) Fakhar Zaman: 58* (47), Daniel Sams: 35* (15), Charith Asalanka: 33 (26),
Sikandar Raza 29 (11), Khurram Shahzad 1-22, Sufiyan Muqeem 1-38,
Result: Lahore Qalandars won by six wickets
Fakhar Zaman (Man of the match)
